AFCON 2013 qualifier: Liberia to arrive Nigeria 7p.m.

The Liberians accuse Nigeria of
frustrating their team ahead of
the crucial match
The Liberian football team is
expected in Nigeria by 7.00p.m.
less than 24 hours to the kick-off
time of the match between the
Lone Stars and the Super Eagles
of Nigeria.
The crucial match is to be played
at the U.J. Esiene stadium in
Calabar on Saturday by 4.00p.m
with the winner of the game
qualifying for the 2013 African
Cup of Nations to be hosted by
South Africa.
The arrival of the 125-man
Liberian delegation may put an
end to the mutual suspicion
between the football associatons
of the two countries over the
crucial tie.
Reports reaching PREMIUM
TIMES indicate that the Liberia
Football Association has
threatened to report the
Nigerian Football Federation,
NFF, to the Confederation of
African Football, CAF, over what
they believe to be unfair
treatment by the Nigerian
association.
The Liberians, who chartered a
plane from their country, were
expected to arrive in Nigeria on
Thursday. Their plane, sources
at the NFF said, could have
arrived at the Margaret Ekpo
airport, Calabar, late on
Thursday but were told they
could not land as the airport
closes early.
While lamenting at the situation
on Thursday, Liberia Football
Association chief, Musa Bility,
said “I don’t understand what
the airport in Calabar is saying.
We are sincerely concerned
about this because we don’t
know why the Nigeria
government has not issued the
clearance for our plane to land.”
“We sent the federation the list
of our delegation and contingent
and the size of the aircraft and
yet we did not get any response
from them,” he claimed on his
association’s website.
Mr. Bility said his association
may report the Nigeria Football
Federation to the Confederation
of African Football, CAF, for the
way they have been treated.
He accused the NFF of
“calculated attempts to frustrate
the Lone Star ahead of
Saturday’s Nations Cup
The NFF had earlier in the week
accused the Liberian association
of keeping its arrival secret
thereby making planning difficult
for the host association.
The Super Eagles arrived Calabar
on Monday in preparation for
the match.
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